HOW TO PREPARE A RESUME

If you incorporate the information provided in this document to your resume, you will maximize your chances of being 

referred. 

Writing and Formatting a Career-Focused Resume: Focus your resume on one job or position.

Concentrate on providing all relevant experience, education and training that shows you are well qualified for the 

positions you apply against. The best resumes are those that are focused, concise, and include only significant 

skills, knowledge, and abilities from your background. Below are some tips on preparing a quality resume:

• Be descriptive. Experience descriptions should be simple and straightforward, descriptive, and reduced 

to only essential information. Tell us what you did on the job. Include the projects you have worked on, 

what your specific duties were, what you needed to know to do the job, what tools, software, or 

equipment you used, and what you accomplished.

• Don’t be vague. Emphasize nouns and verbs and provide concrete statements of your accomplishments. 

For example, use “Utilized Microsoft Project to develop timelines. Prepared budget requests, hired staff, 

selected vendors, negotiated contracts, and designed and implemented a new Unix client-server 

information system” rather than "Performed the full range of project management duties for a new 

information system."

• Use action words, modifiers and phrases such as “designed and implemented new organizational 

structure plan; negotiated contracts up to $90K; prepared and delivered report on waste management.”

• Eliminate unnecessary "flowery" language and don’t be repetitive. Avoid adjectives and adverbs. 

Instead of saying, "I processed a wide variety of extremely complex financial transactions using two 

technically advanced automated accounting systems", you could say "I processed various financial 

transactions using two automated accounting systems". Furthermore, once a skill such as “management” 

or “budget” is pointed out, you need only use the skill again if you are describing a different position.

• Use plain English. If you use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry, spell them out at least once 

for readers unfamiliar with the terms.

• Use spell check. Correct spelling will help insure you get credit for all the job skills and experience 

contained in your resume.

• Keep paragraphs short. To make your resume easier to read, add a blank line after every 20 lines or so 

between paragraphs.

• Don’t be fancy. Don't use fancy treatments such as graphics, italics, underline, shadows, and reverses 

(white letters on black background) or signs and symbols such as % # * = and don't type your 

information in all capital letters.
Additional Formatting Instructions for Uploaded or Faxed Resumes. If you are unable to use the USAJOBS

(http://www.usajobs.com/) resume builder, and are planning on uploading or faxing a resume, follow the formatting rules 

below.

DO: 

• Closely follow the Sample Resume format and try to limit your resume to a maximum of five pages in length.

• Type your resume on 8.5" x 11" white bond paper, printed on one side only.

• Provide a laser printer original if possible. A typewritten original or a high quality photocopy is also 

acceptable.

• Leave a minimum 1" margin on all sides.

• Use 12 pitch font in standard typefaces such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier.

• Type in upper and lower case letters.

DON'T: 

• Submit a handwritten or copied resume with light or faded print.

• Use fancy treatments such as italics, underlines, shadows, and reverses (white letters on black background).

• Condense spacing between letters.

• Type in all capital letters.
SAMPLE RESUME FORMAT

(PLEASE LIMIT RESUMES TO 5 PAGES IN LENGTH)

Sam D. Application

1111 Resume Drive

Anywhere, PA 99999

Contact Phone: (555) 123-4567

Work Phone: (555 765-4321

DSN: 555-4567

E-mail Address:

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Example: Jan 1, 2000 to present; 40 hours per week; Electrician; WG-2805-10; last promoted Jan 15, 2000; not temporary employee; on 

temporary promotion; $21.15 an hour; Pearl Harbor Distribution Services, 123 Wahoo Circle, Honolulu, HI 96818; Mr. Fred Smith, (808) 474-

3344; may contact supervisor. Perform various tasks necessary to fabricate, assemble, install, overhaul, test, troubleshoot, and complete final 

operational check-out of electrical motors and equipment, electrical harnesses, junction box assemblies, panel assemblies, relays, electrical 

systems. Performed continuity and power checks on electrical harnesses in conjunction with continuity checks; working to verbal or written 

specifications utilizing blueprints, wiring diagrams, and work sketches as assigned.

Example: Apr 1, 1985 to Jan 1, 2000; 40 hours per week; Engine Mechanic; last promoted Dec 12, 1998; permanent employee; not on a temporary

promotion; $14.92 per hour; Boeing, Seattle WA 98124; Mr. John Doe, (206) 333-3333; may contact supervisor. Performed trouble diagnosis and 

repair of airplane engines. Work included engine assemblies and accessories. Modified, adjusted, troubleshot, disassembled and assembled, 

engines, parts, components and accessories. Followed safety practices and procedures.

EDUCATION: Provide name of high school, whether H.S. Diploma or GED, and date completed. For post high school education, provide name 

of college or university (include city and state), type and year of degree obtained (if applicable), major field of study,

grade point average, and semester/quarter hours completed. Transcripts or lists of specific courses are not required unless specifically requested. 

TRAINING: List any courses that you have completed and consider relevant to your career goals. Include course name, length, and completion 

date.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: List current licenses, certificates, and/or contracting warrants (ex., Commercial Drivers License, Forklift 

Operators License, etc.). Identify the city and/or state of license or certification, and expiration date, if any. If you have Defense 

Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification, identify the level and position category such as contracting, purchasing, 

communications-computer systems or manufacturing and production.

If you possess Firefighter certifications (e.g., Inspector, Officer, Driver/Operator, HAZMAT Awareness, or HAZMAT Operations) indicate: (1) Type 

of certification, (2) Certification #, (3) Date of certification, and (4) Certifying Board (Department of Defense (DoD)), International Fire Service 

Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or National Professional Qualifications Standard (NPQS/PROBOARD)). These are the only certifying boards 

recognized by DoD.

APPRAISALS & AWARDS: List current performance ratings, awards, honors, and recognitions, including date(s) of receipt.

U.S. MILITARY SERVICE INFORMATION: For all periods of active duty military service, list dates (from and to) and branch of service. If you were a 

reservist/guard called or ordered to active duty, list dates (from and to) and branch of service. List any campaign badges and/or expeditionary

medals received. Examples: Southeast Asia Service Medal, Purple Heart. If currently active duty in the U.S. Military, provide anticipated date of 

separation/retirement/or start of terminal leave. If discharged, provide type of last discharge and, if discharged prior to full period of active duty,

provide reason. If retired military, provide date and rank of retirement. If you have a service-connected disability, indicate the percentage of the 

disability and the date of your last Veterans’ Administration (VA) letter (or other Armed Forces Disability letter) if available. Veterans' preference 

information and forms may be located on web sites such as www.fedshirevets.gov or http://www.dol.gov/vets/.

OTHER INFORMATION: List any information relevant to your career goal(s). Include publications, language proficiencies, memberships in 

professional organizations or honor societies, membership in Acquisition Professional Community (APC), leadership activities, etc. For military

spouses, please provide the date of your documentation, and if a relocating military spouse, the city, state or country of the new duty station of your 

sponsor’s relocation.

 7/20/2011

* Start and end dates (month, day and year)

* Hours worked per week

* Position title

* If Federal position: Pay plan-series-grade

* Date of last promotion

* Whether you are/were a temporary 

employee, term employee or on a 

temporary promotion

* Salary

* Employing organization’s name/address

* Supervisor’s name and phone number

* Whether we can contact the supervisor

* Description of major duties/tasks (e.g., 

specific functions performed; programs, 

equipment, regulations and/or tools used; 

lead or supervisory duties)